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It's like that bit at the end of Alien. You're finally able to relax in the knowledge that it's all over, you're safe. You give Jones a hug, put him in the cryotube, get undressed down to your skimpy underthings, all ready to chill. Then suddenly... OH CRAP. You aren't safe. You never were. You thought you'd escaped, butAliens: Colonial Marines and Aliens vs. Predator 2010 are... Still. On. Steam. And you're in nothing but your undergarbs.

The two Aliens games mysteriously left the Steam station last week, but now they've returned with just as little explanation. The new year timing suggests licensing issues played their part, but there's not been any official comment on the matter - we've reached out to publisher Sega to find out more. In any case, the important thing is they're back, everything appears to be in order, and you should probably get some clothes on.

Update: Sega had no comment for Joystiq, perhaps lest the Aliens hear it.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-colonial-marinesAliens-vs-Predatorgearboxgearbox-softwarepcrebellionsegasteamThu, 08 Jan 2015 09:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/03/aliens-colonial-marines-avp-2010-vacate-steams-air-ducts/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/03/aliens-colonial-marines-avp-2010-vacate-steams-air-ducts/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/03/aliens-colonial-marines-avp-2010-vacate-steams-air-ducts/#comments
The age of digital distribution brings with it many joys: sales are frequent, there's less clutter around the home, and no more blowing into cartridges. Unfortunately, it also brings unique disadvantages, such as games suddenly disappearing from digital marketplaces. Such is the tale of Aliens: Colonial Marines and Alien Vs. Predator (the 2010 version) on Steam.

It's likely that the games being removed from Steam is due to a licensing issue, considering that the games (which utilize properties owned by 20th Century Fox) were available right up until 2015 started. However, it's interesting to note that Aliens: Colonial Marines is still available as a digital purchase on both PSN and the Xbox Marketplace, while AvP is available not on the former, but the latter. Alien: Isolation is still available on all fronts, and the original version of Aliens Vs. Predator from 2000 is also still up for grabs on Steam.

We've reached out to publisher Sega for more information, and will update if we hear back. In the meantime, stay frosty.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-colonial-marinesaliens-vs-predatorgearboxpcrebellionsegasteamvalveSat, 03 Jan 2015 17:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/04/sega-pins-aliens-colonial-marines-marketing-mishaps-on-gearbox/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/04/sega-pins-aliens-colonial-marines-marketing-mishaps-on-gearbox/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/04/sega-pins-aliens-colonial-marines-marketing-mishaps-on-gearbox/#comments
After Aliens: Colonial Marines publisher Sega moved to settle a class-action lawsuit to the tune of $1.25 million in August for alleged false advertising for the game, it shifted the blame for the game's marketing issues to Gearbox Software, according to court documents obtained by Game Informer. Internal emails from Gearbox and Sega representatives cite examples of the former revealing information about the game without the consent of the publisher.

One such email refers to a New York Comic Con panel in October 2012, in which Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford firmly states that a Wii U version of Aliens: Colonial Marines would launch in February 2013 alongside the other versions of the game. Emails within Sega stated that "no-one on the call was aware" of the Wii U version, and that it's "not been picked up so far." Of course, the game missed its Wii U launch window before Sega confirmed in March 2013 that it was no longer in development.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-colonial-marinesclaimsclass-actionclass-action-lawsuitcourt-documentsgearboxgearbox-softwarelawsuitlegalmarketingmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3Randy-PitchfordSegawii-uxboxThu, 04 Sep 2014 13:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/16/sega-moves-for-1-25m-aliens-colonial-marines-settlement/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/16/sega-moves-for-1-25m-aliens-colonial-marines-settlement/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/16/sega-moves-for-1-25m-aliens-colonial-marines-settlement/#commentsAliens: Colonial Marines publisher Sega has moved to settle a class-action lawsuit brought against the company regarding alleged false advertising to the tune of $1.25 million, according to court documents filed with the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

Should the motion be accepted, plaintiffs Damion Perrine and John Locke would receive $2,500, while $312,500 would be used to cover their attorney fees. Administration fees would total $200,000. That leaves $735,000 to be divvied up among members of the class filing the lawsuit, with each share not exceeding $59.99.

Game Informer reports that the number of claimants is estimated to be roughly 135,000 people, which equals roughly $5.44 per payout. While that's not exactly what we'd call "rolling in the dough," the case could nonetheless set an interesting precedent for the way games are advertised. The days of the infamous "bullshot" could - could! - be numbered.

If accepted by the court, the motion would protect Sega - but not developer Gearbox - from further litigation.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-colonial-marinesclass-actiongearboxlawsuitmicrosoftpcplaystationps3segaxboxSat, 16 Aug 2014 17:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/26/michael-biehn-working-on-colonial-marines-wasnt-fun-at-all/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/26/michael-biehn-working-on-colonial-marines-wasnt-fun-at-all/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/26/michael-biehn-working-on-colonial-marines-wasnt-fun-at-all/#comments
Actor Michael Biehn, who played Corporal Hicks in landmark 1986 sci-fi film "Aliens," recently described Gearbox Software's first-person shooter spinoff, Aliens: Colonial Marines, as a "passionless" project, and revealed that reprising his film role in the game "wasn't fun at all."

"It seemed kind of passionless," Biehn said in an interview with Game Informer. "I think in movies, television, and the gaming world, you get some people that are really, really passionate, and some people that are just going through the paces."

"They think that because they have a brand name they're going to get a hit game or hit movie out of it," Biehn continued. "That certainly was the situation on [Aliens: Colonial Marines]."

"Dean is such an interesting and creative presence," Biehn said. "He has such energy and such passion. One of the things that I really, really enjoy working still in this business is finding people that have that kind of passion."

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-colonial-marinesgearbox-softwaremicrosoftpcplaystationps3segaxboxFri, 26 Jul 2013 20:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/23/aliens-colonial-marines-dlc-concludes-with-stasis-interrupted/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/23/aliens-colonial-marines-dlc-concludes-with-stasis-interrupted/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/23/aliens-colonial-marines-dlc-concludes-with-stasis-interrupted/#comments
The final Aliens: Colonial Marines DLC, "Stasis Interrupted," is available on Xbox Live, PSN and Steam today. This single-player add-on, which is free for Season Pass holders and $10 for everyone else, follows three different characters through an interlocking story, ultimately shedding light on what went down with Corporal Dwayne Hicks between Aliens and Alien 3.

Despite being panned by critics, Aliens: Colonial Marines wasn't a total dud for publisher Sega: As of May, 1.31 million copies of the first-person shooter have been shipped out into the wild. A Wii U version was also in the works before being canned.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-colonial-marinescorporal-dwayne-hicksdlcgearboxgearbox-softwarehicksmicrosoftpcplaystationps3season-passsegaTimeGate-StudiosxboxTue, 23 Jul 2013 19:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/08/aliens-colonial-marines-trophies-reveal-extended-campaign-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/08/aliens-colonial-marines-trophies-reveal-extended-campaign-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/08/aliens-colonial-marines-trophies-reveal-extended-campaign-dlc/#comments
A new set of unlockable trophies has surfaced for the PlayStation 3 version of Gearbox Software's Aliens: Colonial Marines, hinting at the imminent release of a new batch of downloadable content.

Judging from its trophy descriptions, the "Stasis Interrupted" downloadable content offers a new single-player campaign, with trophies available for story progression and audio log collecting. Stasis Interrupted will likely premiere as the last of four add-on content packs promised by the Aliens: Colonial Marines Season Pass, following up on the previously released Reconnaissance Pack, Movie Map Pack, and Bug Hunt Pack.

Speaking with the Nerdist podcast recently, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford revealed that the company will cease development for current consoles once it has completed its DLC plans for Colonial Marines and Borderlands 2. Pitchford also hints that a new IP is in development at Gearbox, which the company will officially announce "sometime later."

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-colonial-marinesdlcgearbox-softwaremicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxMon, 08 Jul 2013 15:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/mens-room-mayhem-hits-psn-next-week-aliens-colonial-marines-d/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/mens-room-mayhem-hits-psn-next-week-aliens-colonial-marines-d/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/mens-room-mayhem-hits-psn-next-week-aliens-colonial-marines-d/#comments
The former Sony Liverpool devs at Sawfly Studios are bringing Men's Room Mayhem to Vita next week, via PSN. It should arrive on May 21 in North America, although as always with news revealed by the PlayStation Blogcast, dates can be subject to change.

If you're curious about the curiously named game, Phil Gaskell from publisher Ripstone describes it as "Flight Control meets Carry on at Your Convenience." - No, it's not the flight paths of... that stuff, but about getting patrons to where they need to go.

"In Men's Room Mayhem you're hired as the janitor of your very own chaotic men's room," said Gaskell on the PlayStation Blog. "You're responsible for directing patrons, keeping everywhere sparkling clean and steering patrons away from trouble! You need to get your customers safely to the urinals and cubicles in time - otherwise there'll be a few nasty accidents for you to clean up!"

The Blogcast also outed a wee (ahem) bit of other content in next week's PS Store update. A "smattering of DLC" is coming to Aliens: Colonial Marines, although the podcast wasn't any more specific than that. A digital PS3 version of Mugen Souls is also due.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesmens-room-mayhemmugen-soulsplaystationplaystation-vitaps3psnrelease-dateripstone-publishingsawfly-studiosvitaFri, 17 May 2013 12:45:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/sega-sammy-posts-fiscal-net-profit-aliens-colonial-marines-shi/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/sega-sammy-posts-fiscal-net-profit-aliens-colonial-marines-shi/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/sega-sammy-posts-fiscal-net-profit-aliens-colonial-marines-shi/#comments
Sega Sammy reported financial results for the fiscal year ending March 31 2013 today, noting a net profit of ¥33.5 billion, which converts to $331 million. The figure represents annual growth of 53.3 percent. However, the company's operating profit decreased year-on-year by 67.3 percent, down now to ¥19.1 billion, or $189 million.

While Sega Sammy made significant net profit, largely through gains on the sales of "investment securities" and transfers of employees' pension benefits, the company noted decreased demand for packaged games in light of global economics. Sega Sammy said it must adapt to a market leaning towards games on social networks and smartphones.

That decreased demand was coupled with a year of restructuring at Sega Sammy's US and European divisions. With less games coming out as a result, it's no surprise Sega Sammy saw decline in packaged software shipments, down to 10.8 million overall. They include 1.31 million units of the critically panned Aliens: Colonial Marines, as well as 1.36 million for Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed and 940,000 for Football Manager 2013. Meanwhile, Yakuza 5 shipped 590,000 units since its launch in Japan in December 2012.

Sega Sammy's biggest success gaming-wise looks to be Phantasy Star Online 2. The PC and Vita MMO has a subscription base of over 2.5 million now, and the company said revenue from in-game purchasable items "exceeded forecasted levels."

Sega Sammy forecasts it will ship 11 games on PC, 7 on Wii U, 7 on PS3, 6 on 3DS, 5 on Vita, 4 on Xbox 360, and 2 on PSP in the fiscal year ending March 31 2014 - of course there'll be some crossover there. The company estimates a 41 percent growth in net profit for the next fiscal year, up to ¥47 billion, or $464 million.

Update: Sports Interactive's Miles Jacobson tweetsFootball Manager 2013 has now passed the 1 million mark for sales, having done so five months earlier than FM2012 did.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesfinancialsfootball-manager-2013phantasy-star-online-2segasega-sammysonic-and-allstars-racing-transformedFri, 10 May 2013 05:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/colonial-marines-co-dev-timegate-files-for-bankruptcy-protection/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/colonial-marines-co-dev-timegate-files-for-bankruptcy-protection/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/colonial-marines-co-dev-timegate-files-for-bankruptcy-protection/#commentsSection 8 developer and Aliens: Colonial Marines co-developer TimeGate Studios has filed for bankruptcy protection in the Texas Southern Bankruptcy Court, revealing that it owes its creditors between $10 million and $50 million in debt.

Court documents note that TimeGate seeks protection from creditors while it reexamines its finances, Polygon reports. Currently, the company owes large, unspecified amounts to partners such as Epic Games, Agora Games and DJ2 Entertainment. The petition names nearly 50 creditors in all.

TimeGate recently lost an appeal in its long-running legal battle with publisher SouthPeak Interactive, potentially owing $7.35 million in damages and losing its rights to the Section 8 intellectual property. Aliens: Colonial Marines, which TimeGate developed in partnership with Gearbox Software, is the subject of an ongoing class action lawsuit.

TimeGate's current project, the minimalist free-to-play shooter Minimum, was announced in April.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-MarinesBankruptbankruptcysection-8TimeGateTimeGate-StudiosThu, 02 May 2013 18:45:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/sega-and-gearbox-targeted-in-aliens-colonial-marines-lawsuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/sega-and-gearbox-targeted-in-aliens-colonial-marines-lawsuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/sega-and-gearbox-targeted-in-aliens-colonial-marines-lawsuit/#comments
Gearbox Software and Sega have both been named in a class action lawsuit alleging that the two companies knowingly misrepresented Aliens: Colonial Marines in trade show demos.

After the game was released to negative reviews, some players and critics claimed the game's trailers and demonstrations didn't match up to the final product. The lawsuit's plaintiff, Damion Perrine, and the law firm of Edelson LLC have decided to take the matter to court for consumers.

The suit cites a tweet from Gearbox head Randy Pitchford, who called initial complaints over the delta between demo and final game "understood and fair." The legal action also suggests demos were misleadingly labeled as "actual gameplay," and that Sega embargoed press reviews until the early morning of Colonial Marines' release date, preventing early buyers from discovering the differences. Accordingly, the suit asks for class action damages for anyone who pre-ordered the game or bought it on release day.

The next step in a class action suit like this will be for the courts to certify the class. Unless Sega and Gearbox fight for a settlement right away, Edelson will next need to figure out how many players were mislead in the way described in the lawsuit. Once determined, the class will be notified of the suit, and the case can move forward.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-colonial-marinesdemiurgedemiurge-studiosgearboxgearbox-softwarenintendosegawii-uFri, 05 Apr 2013 13:40:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/aliens-colonial-marines-for-wii-u-misses-launch-window-sega-de/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/aliens-colonial-marines-for-wii-u-misses-launch-window-sega-de/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/aliens-colonial-marines-for-wii-u-misses-launch-window-sega-de/#commentsThe Wii U version of Aliens: Colonial Marinesmissed its first quarter launch window at the designated retail rendezvous point and its fate is currently in question. Gamespot asked Sega yesterday if there was a new debut date for the year's highest profile disaster (you're welcome, SimCity) for the Nintendo console and the publisher responded, "Still no comment on ACM, sorry!"

Gamespot notes this is the third time the publisher has refused a status update and Demiurge, the developer tasked with the Wii U version, isn't talking. Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox Software (which put its name on the box for the other console versions), was also unsure last month if the Wii U version was coming out, noting it was Sega's decision.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-colonial-marinesdemiurgedemiurge-studiosgearboxgearbox-softwarenintendosegawii-uThu, 04 Apr 2013 13:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/sega-europe-asa-aliens-colonial-marines/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/sega-europe-asa-aliens-colonial-marines/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/sega-europe-asa-aliens-colonial-marines/#commentsSega Europe will alter its deceptive trailers of Aliens: Colonial Marines in the UK to acknowledge the difference between promotion and final product. GI.biz reports a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority in the UK by a Reddit user triggered Sega to make amends in order to avoid a formal investigation.

"Sega Europe acknowledged your objection that the trailers did not accurately reflect the final content of the game," Niall McVeigh, complaints executive at the Advertising Standards Authority wrote. "[Sega] agreed to add a disclaimer, both on their website and in all relevant YouTube videos, which explains that the trailers depict footage of the demo versions of the game. The disclaimer will be visible when each online trailer is played."

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertising-standards-authorityaliens-colonial-marinesasagearbox-softwaremicrosoftpcplaystationps3segasega-europexboxWed, 03 Apr 2013 08:07:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/aliens-colonial-marines-patch-fixes-a-lot-of-things-even-the-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/aliens-colonial-marines-patch-fixes-a-lot-of-things-even-the-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/aliens-colonial-marines-patch-fixes-a-lot-of-things-even-the-f/#commentsClean up on aisle Aliens: Colonial Marines - Sega launched a patch to address a few of the issues in Colonial Marines, including various visual improvements, improved texture resolution, audio fixes, increased enemy and friendly AI responsiveness, modified enemy collision detection and NPC navigation, fixed spawning issues, removal of the ability to walk outside of maps, and many more, listed in full below.

Our favorite from this extensive list has to be, "Addressed an issue where Ripley's Flamethrower (bonus content) would sometimes fire continuously without player input." The update should automatically install on Steam, so unfortunately there's no way to keep that particular glitch (feature?) in your game.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-colonial-marinesgearboxpatchpcSegaSTEAMTimeGate-StudiosupdateMon, 18 Mar 2013 21:15:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/report-layoffs-at-aliens-colonial-marines-dev-timegate-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/report-layoffs-at-aliens-colonial-marines-dev-timegate-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/report-layoffs-at-aliens-colonial-marines-dev-timegate-studios/#commentsTwenty-five people were laid off at TimeGate Studios, one of the developers behind the recent bombAliens: Colonial Marines, Polygon reports. TimeGate President Adel Chaveleh says the layoffs are spurred, in part, by the transition to next-gen consoles, and Polygon cites a publishing deal that fell through.

"Today, we had to make the difficult decision to let go of some great game developers," Chaveleh says. "This is never easy, and we're doing all we can to assist those developers affected. TimeGate is preparing, as is the entire industry, for the transition to next-generation consoles and new business models. As part of this reinvention, all projects and strategic initiatives continue to move forward at the studio."

TimeGate is based in Houston, Texas. Since its announcement in 2006, Gearbox Software spearheaded development of Aliens: Colonial Marines, though the work was shared with TimeGate.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-colonial-marineslayoffsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3TimeGate-StudiosxboxMon, 04 Mar 2013 16:45:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/players-probe-the-code-of-aliens-colonial-marines-find-some-fi/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/players-probe-the-code-of-aliens-colonial-marines-find-some-fi/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/players-probe-the-code-of-aliens-colonial-marines-find-some-fi/#commentsMaybe when the industry and players panned Aliens: Colonial Marines for being a hot mess, it was only because we all approached it from the wrong angle. Perhaps Colonial Marines'true gameplay value lies in its modding opportunities, specifically those that would fix the game's graphics, lighting, AI, UI and anything else that might need it.

Groups of players with programming skills are taking to the Colonial Marines source code, attempting to patch up the game (for PC) on their own. The Steam and Gearbox forums host a number of fix guides, including this step-by-step walkthrough with pre-made files from Steam user adonys.

Gearbox forum member kutjong notes an interesting phenomenon within the Colonial Marines code: "It's quite fascinating to study the .ini files. In PecanCompat.ini you can see all the graphics cards that qualify for a certain class. The most modern graphics card in that list is from 2007!" This Gearbox thread in particular hosts some comparison screenshots from before and after players have fiddled with the code, including the enhanced shot above. Game on, coders.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesgearboxmodpcprogrammingsource-codeMon, 18 Feb 2013 19:45:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/aliens-colonial-marines-storms-this-weeks-uk-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/aliens-colonial-marines-storms-this-weeks-uk-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/aliens-colonial-marines-storms-this-weeks-uk-charts/#commentsDisaster or no, Aliens: Colonial Marines is still a big enough name to not only take top spot ahead of Dead Space 3 in the UK charts this week, but to become the country's biggest new release of 2013 so far - a stat perhaps scarier than anything in the game itself.

Dead Space 3 is in second place this week after a 57 percent drop in sales, while the traditional mid-term holiday bump - sales rose 39 percent overall from last week - sees Assassin's Creed 3 and Halo 4 re-enter the top ten at sixth and tenth respectively.

Ni no Kuni and DmC: Devil May Cry suffered big drops last week, and both continue their descents this time around. Ni no Kuni's third week in Europe sees it tumble to 25th, while after five weeks DmC almost leaves the top 40 altogether, coming in at 39th.

OXM UK(60/100): "It needed to offer intense combat against an unstoppable force, deft storytelling that matched the cinematic flair of the films, and some new ideas that could have rejuvenated an overexposed franchise. It needed, in short, to be a better game."

Edge(50/100): "Colonial Marines feels stiff, shallow and dated. First announced for a 2008 release before the Aliens franchise machine prioritized other projects, it feels like more work has been retained from that initial production period than either Gearbox or Sega would care to admit. "

Game Informer(40/100): "Take away the Aliens license, and you've got a shooter that has no reason to exist. It would be like stripping the terraforming from Fracture or playing Inversion without its gravity-defying gimmick. At its best, it's barely mediocre."

Eurogamer(30/100): "It's shocking stuff, certainly one of the most glitchy mainstream releases of this hardware generation, and the sort of thing that would barely pass muster as a low budget game from 2002."

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesgearboxgearbox-softwaremicrosoftpcplaystationps3segaxboxTue, 12 Feb 2013 17:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/12/aliens-colonial-marines-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/12/aliens-colonial-marines-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/12/aliens-colonial-marines-review/#commentsAliens: Colonial Marines seems like a product developed over a series of Friday afternoons. You know, those long days where passion felt throughout the rest of the week has dissolved and all that's left are the moments you count off in your head as the clock inches toward closing time.

Though my tongue is planted firmly in cheek as I describe Gearbox's development schedule, Aliens: Colonial Marines showcases the monstrous pendulum that swings between the quality of the products released by the Texas studio. Whatever magic Gearbox pours into the Borderlands series, it isn't to be found here, and despite being blessed with a franchise practically tailor-made for a video game adaptation, Aliens: Colonial Marines is devoid of any redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-MarinesGearbox-Softwaremicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxTue, 12 Feb 2013 11:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/09/aliens-colonial-marines-bug-hunt-dlc-coming-in-march-more-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/09/aliens-colonial-marines-bug-hunt-dlc-coming-in-march-more-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/09/aliens-colonial-marines-bug-hunt-dlc-coming-in-march-more-on/#commentsAliens: Colonial Marines will receive four add-on packs starting with the launch of the Bug Hunt DLC in March. Bug Hunt has players cooperatively taking on waves of enemies in three new maps. The other three content packs, a mixture of campaign and multiplayer DLC, will be available by the end of August.

All four of the DLC packs will be available individually and for Season Pass holders, which Sega confirmed is "a $29.99 / 2400 Microsoft Point bundle that offers a savings of almost 40% over buying the content individually." The Season Pass can be bought on Steam right now for $27, and will make its way to Xbox 360 and PS3 in the near future.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesgearbox-softwaremicrosoftplaystationps3segaxboxThu, 07 Feb 2013 17:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/aliens-colonial-marines-dlc-season-pass-spotted/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/aliens-colonial-marines-dlc-season-pass-spotted/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/aliens-colonial-marines-dlc-season-pass-spotted/#commentsA season pass for Aliens: Colonial Marines has raised blips on a few retail radars, including GameStop, Green Man Gaming and Amazon. It looks like "season passes" for first-person shooter DLC are becoming about as inevitable as an android's betrayal.

Usually $30, though discounted to $27 on GMG and GameStop, the season pass promises access to four packs of downloadable content at a discount of 33 percent. The packs will run from this March until summer, and they promise "campaign content, additional multiplayer maps, new modes, character customization and more."

So far, the season pass is only showing up for the PC version of Colonial Marines, though it's reasonable to assume it will be available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions as well.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3wii-uxboxThu, 31 Jan 2013 18:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/24/aliens-colonial-marines-trailer-briefs-you-for-the-mission/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/24/aliens-colonial-marines-trailer-briefs-you-for-the-mission/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/24/aliens-colonial-marines-trailer-briefs-you-for-the-mission/#commentsIn this Aliens: Colonial Marines trailer, a gruff officer issues a pep talk to get you fighting Xenomorphs, and outlines the basic strategy for the fight: carry a bunch of guns, and shoot them all at aliens.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3wii-uxboxThu, 24 Jan 2013 09:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/17/aliens-colonial-marines-bursts-on-wii-u-in-q1/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/17/aliens-colonial-marines-bursts-on-wii-u-in-q1/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/17/aliens-colonial-marines-bursts-on-wii-u-in-q1/#commentsAliens: Colonial Marines, scheduled for February 12 on other platforms, now has a launch window of calendar Q1 for Wii U. Before the sun rises on the day of fools, you may dine on the blood of xenomorphs. It's the holistic way of handling an upset stomach.

The release of Gearbox's Aliens: Colonial Marines is finally zeroing in towards us, with publisher Sega launching a new television teaser to promote the oft-delayed title. For PC soldiers, Colonial Marines features a number of bonuses on Steam if players are willing to sign up for the Weyland-Yutani sponsored expedition before its launch.

Steam pre-order bonuses include a Sonic-Harpoon Artillery Remote Projectile (or S.H.A.R.P.) stick rifle, a weapon referenced in James Cameron's Aliens that fires explosive darts. Aliens: Colonial Marines will also be available for Xbox 360, Wii U, and the PlayStation 3, when it launches on February 12.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliensAliens-Colonial-Marinesdealfebruarygearboxpcpreordersegasharp-sticksteamtrailerMon, 14 Jan 2013 22:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/29/aliens-colonial-marines-story-trailer-investigates-a-deserted-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/29/aliens-colonial-marines-story-trailer-investigates-a-deserted-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/29/aliens-colonial-marines-story-trailer-investigates-a-deserted-s/#commentsThis trailer for Aliens: Colonial Marines shows a certain Captain Cruise ordering his crew to investigate a 17-week-old distress signal on the U.S.S. Sulaco. As indicated by the trailer's dramatic music and the word "aliens" in the game's title, the "liquid situation" has players leading the highly-skilled group of marines into battle against hostile alien beings (surprise!).

The Gearbox-developed game uses environments drawn specifically from the movie series of the same name, such as LV-426 and Hadley's Hope. Aliens: Colonial Marines is coming to Xbox 360, PC, Wii U and PS3 on February 12, 2013.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliensAliens-Colonial-Marinesgearboxmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3Segastorytrailervideowii-uxboxSat, 29 Dec 2012 13:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/11/surviving-the-xenomorph-offensive-in-aliens-colonial-marines/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/11/surviving-the-xenomorph-offensive-in-aliens-colonial-marines/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/11/surviving-the-xenomorph-offensive-in-aliens-colonial-marines/#commentsThe stranded squad of space marines makes hasty preparations amid the flickering lights of a ruined former colony's command center. A scrounged sentry turret sits idle in a corner of the room, slowly scanning for signs of non-human life. Raging storms outside mask the sounds of creatures scuttling through air ducts, but the ever-present rhythmic beeping of motion trackers fill the air with ferocious frequency as the alien menace approaches.

Murky shapes take form as they leap into the light, slick, inky-black creatures with pronounced ridges lining their bodies. A shotgun burst drops the first attacker in an instant, its inert body slumping to the floor as a burst of acid blood sprays over a nearby squaddie.

Gearbox Software is a studio of many talents, but the developer's biggest success on Aliens: Colonial Marines may well end up being how accurately it's managed to nail the feel of the famous sci-fi series. This is vital, as anyone who has seen the movies can understand. There's nothing in the science fiction genre quite like the franchise's Xenomorphs, a race of highly aggressive and agile beings with acid for blood and the ability to reproduce through something akin to a cross-species infection. Xenomorphs in Aliens: Colonial Marines slide through the environment with the same sort of ease that they do in the movies, as we learned during a recent hands-on demo of the game's campaign. An unseen network of air ducts connects every room and corridor, so any alien that slips out of sight will eventually emerge elsewhere. Probably behind you.

Aliens: Colonial Marines is giving a little taste of its "survivor mode" today, a multiplayer variant which finds four marines holding their ground until the last person is standing. There's several different xenomorph varieties to check out in the trailer. Colonial Marines is scheduled to drop February 12, 2013.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesgearbox-softwaremicrosoftnintendoplaystationps3segawii-uxboxWed, 21 Nov 2012 09:45:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/30/aliens-colonial-marines-xenomorphic-perspective-and-wii-u-pote/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/30/aliens-colonial-marines-xenomorphic-perspective-and-wii-u-pote/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/30/aliens-colonial-marines-xenomorphic-perspective-and-wii-u-pote/#commentsIn developing the canonical sequel to James Cameron's Aliens, Gearbox Software feels the naturally extended duration of a video game allows for a deeper narrative than what is found in films.

"We get ten-plus hours to tell our story. We can go way more in depth and in more directions on really delivering the next chapter in the Aliens saga," Gearbox Software design director John Mulkey told Joystiq during a demo of the studio's upcoming shooter Aliens: Colonial Marines at New York Comic-Con.

Continuing from Aliens also allows Gearbox to build from the foundation of Cameron's classic action movie, fleshing out the backstory and mythos that is later continued in David Fincher's Alien 3. According to Mulkey, Colonial Marines will make Alien 3 "a cooler movie."

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-MarinesmicrosoftnintendoNYCC-12NYCC-2012pcplaystationps3wii-uxboxTue, 30 Oct 2012 14:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/gearbox-confirms-aliens-colonial-marines-has-female-characters/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/gearbox-confirms-aliens-colonial-marines-has-female-characters/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/gearbox-confirms-aliens-colonial-marines-has-female-characters/#commentsThe cast of Gearbox Software's upcoming xenophobia sim, Aliens: Colonial Marines, won't be entirely male, the developer announced during a panel at last weekend's PAX Prime event in Seattle, WA. One female character named Jennifer Redding will be available in co-op, while the game's competitive multiplayer modes will include options for customizing different female marines.

Since the announcement was made, a 3,800-person strong internet petition to have female characters added to the game has taken credit, updating with a message that "the petition is a SUCCESS!!! CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE!, and thank you for your support!"

Meanwhile, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford maintains that women were always part of the plan, according to Kotaku. Essentially, Gearbox had yet to complete the design work for Redding and the multiplayer models and did not want to unveil them until they were finalized. As the petition's online presence mounted, however, the developer felt it should show off the plans to resolve the situation.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesgearbox-softwaremicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3SEGAwii-uxboxTue, 04 Sep 2012 17:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/aliens-colonial-marines-escape-mode-looks-painful-if-youre-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/aliens-colonial-marines-escape-mode-looks-painful-if-youre-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/aliens-colonial-marines-escape-mode-looks-painful-if-youre-a/#commentsYesterday Sega and Gearbox announced Aliens: Colonial Marines' new 'Escape' multiplayer mode, a four vs. four, Xenomorphs vs Marines bloodbath. Today, they've sent us that bloodbath in video form, and it looks a bit painful for the marines.

It's up to the marines to escape the Alien planet's outpost by getting to the extraction point, while the Aliens just chase them down like dogs. There's a time limit too, meaning the marines must work together to make it out with their limbs and guts intact.

Should the idea of gutting or being gutted entice you, Aliens: Colonial Marines is playable at this weekend's PAX Prime. The game itself arrives next year on February 12 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The Wii U release date remains unannounced.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesgearboxmicrosoftnintendopax-2012pax-primepax-prime-2012pcplaystationps3segawii-uxboxFri, 31 Aug 2012 12:10:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/30/aliens-colonial-marines-adds-escape-mode-to-multiplayer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/30/aliens-colonial-marines-adds-escape-mode-to-multiplayer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/30/aliens-colonial-marines-adds-escape-mode-to-multiplayer/#commentsDebuting at PAX is a new multiplayer mode for Aliens: Colonial Marines, called "Escape Mode." It's a simple concept: a team of four players, as Xenomorphs, try to hunt down four Colonial Marines, and the team of four humans do their best to get the hell out of their way.

The Marines do more than scream and run, as they "blast their way through the fast-paced map" trying to reach the exit.

If you'd like to try it at PAX, the mode will be on display in Sega's booth, which covers the space of both #242 and #252. You won't miss it - what with the giant power loader statue and all.

The latest trailer out of Gamescom for Aliens: Colonial Marines has it all: Gruesome scenes of H.R. Giger's creations terrorizing marines, and a little behind-the-scenes on the upcoming release. The trailer talks about both the tension buildup that's so important to the Aliens franchise, and the freedom that Gearbox had to both make use of the movie's most familiar locations, and also create their own in new and interesting ways.

Oh, and there are some weirdly extraneous "action" shots of the game's creative team, mixed in among the commentary and game videos. Gearbox's Chief Creative Officer Brian Martel is a standout offender on that one. Nice hat tip there, bud.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actionaliensAliens-Colonial-Marinesbrian-martelgearboxmicrosoftpcplaystationps3shotstrailerxboxWed, 15 Aug 2012 05:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/01/aliens-colonial-marines-video-visits-the-leftorium/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/01/aliens-colonial-marines-video-visits-the-leftorium/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/01/aliens-colonial-marines-video-visits-the-leftorium/#commentsGearbox is excited about developing Aliens: Colonial Marines. That's all good and fine, but what we want to check out is that lefty Xbox controller at the 1:39 mark of the clip. Sadly, we think it's simply a case of reversing the image in editing.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesmicrosoftplaystationps3xboxWed, 01 Aug 2012 20:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/06/aliens-colonial-marines-e3-screens-are-mostly-all-right-mostl/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/06/aliens-colonial-marines-e3-screens-are-mostly-all-right-mostl/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/06/aliens-colonial-marines-e3-screens-are-mostly-all-right-mostl/#commentsThe images we've received for Aliens: Colonial Marines at E3 2012 are rather unimpressive. Not a whole lot going on. To make up for it, we've included old galleries you may have missed from the recent past after the break.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinese3-2012microsoftplaystationps3xboxWed, 06 Jun 2012 13:45:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/04/aliens-colonial-marines-wii-u-version-overseen-by-shoot-many-ro/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/04/aliens-colonial-marines-wii-u-version-overseen-by-shoot-many-ro/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/04/aliens-colonial-marines-wii-u-version-overseen-by-shoot-many-ro/#commentsDon't count out that Wii U version of Aliens: Colonial Marines, despite Gearbox pushing its launch to an unknown spot beyond the 360/PS3/PC version's February 2013 date. Gearbox head Randy Pitchford says that Shoot Many Robots studio Demiurge Studios has been overseeing the Wii U version for the past nine months, alongside both Nerve and Timegate.

Pitchford couldn't speak to many specifics of the game, but he did extol the Wii U controller. "When I play with the controller, I immediately realize that for the types of games I like to play and make, this is the best controller I've ever had from Nintendo." He also teases one potential use for the WiiPad, saying, "For Aliens: Colonial Marines, it's really exciting to have that screen there because I can do things that are very unique to this universe. For instance, we have a motion tracker in this universe. Now our motion tracker can literally be in our hands and we can see and hear it -and scan the room in 360 degrees, since it's a motion device."

Aliens: Colonial Marines launches on February 13, 2013 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The Wii U version is expected some time beyond that date.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesdemiurgedemiurge-studiosgearboxgearbox-softwarenervenerve-softwarenintendorandy-pitchfordsegatimegatetimegate-studioswii-uMon, 04 Jun 2012 10:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/31/aliens-colonial-marines-collectors-edition-gamestop-pre-order/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/31/aliens-colonial-marines-collectors-edition-gamestop-pre-order/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/31/aliens-colonial-marines-collectors-edition-gamestop-pre-order/#commentsAliens: Colonial Marines may have been delayed all the way until February 12 of next year, but at least we can take solace in knowing that the Collector's Edition leaked back in January is not only the Real Deal with Bill McNeal, but is even more legit than previously indicated.

For $100, the Collector's Edition includes a Powerloader vs. Xenomorph statuette and a USCM dossier containing a mission brief, a schematic of the USS Sephora, a recruitment card, iron-on badges, recon photos and a USCM graduation certificate. It also comes with digital goodies, not the least of which is the ability to play as the film's Apone, Drake, Hicks and Hudson.

You'll also receive Ripley's flamethrower, "additional marine customization options," two bonus multiplayer weapons ("Sonic Electromagnetic Ball Breakers" and "Phase Plasma Rifle") and an exclusive level, the USCM Academy Firing Range. Pre-ordering the standard edition from Gamestop will net you the four bonus characters, customization options and Ripley's flamethrower, but none of the other content/toys. You will, however, have an extra $40 in your pocket, and won't need to explain the Exosqaud figurine on your desk.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinescollectors-editiongamestopgearbox-softwaremicrosoftnintendopcplaystationpre-orderps3Segawii-uxboxThu, 31 May 2012 17:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/aliens-colonial-marines-delayed-to-february-2013/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/aliens-colonial-marines-delayed-to-february-2013/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/aliens-colonial-marines-delayed-to-february-2013/#commentsAliens: Colonial Marines launches on February 12, 2013, Sega announced this morning. The Gearbox Software-developed game was previously given a "fall 2012" launch window, and was planned as a Wii U hardware launch title (the game is also planned for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC), though no hard date was ever given before. In fact, despite the February 12 date announcement, the game's Wii U version still doesn't have a date. "A release date for the announced Wii U version will be revealed at a later time," the press release reads.

Upset? That's understandable, but Sega's hoping to deflect some of that rage with a new trailer, which we've dropped just above.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesdelaydelaysgearboxgearbox-softwaremicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3q1-2013release-datesegawii-uxboxMon, 21 May 2012 09:07:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/aliens-colonial-marines-multiplayer-or-how-gearbox-played-as/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/aliens-colonial-marines-multiplayer-or-how-gearbox-played-as/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/aliens-colonial-marines-multiplayer-or-how-gearbox-played-as/#commentsAt a recent preview event for Aliens: Colonial Marines, developer Gearbox didn't let us play through the single-player portion of its upcoming shooter, but gave us a shot at commanding our own marine in multiplayer. Playing Team Deathmatch, journalists took the reigns as marines, while a group of Gearbox employees faced off against as us the frightening Xenomorphs.

If you're familiar with team deathmatch from other shooters, Aliens: Colonial Marines will do little to surprise you. The multiplayer is asymmetrical, meaning the two sides of the conflict are pretty different in terms of abilities and play styles. While we didn't get to play as the aliens, we did get to watch them be played, which showed us that there is a least a little here that makes this different from your everyday red vs. blue combat situation.